The City of Nice is set to host a monumental installation of 15 ‘Burnt Trees’ sculptures by Philippe Pastor in the heart of the Sacha Sosno Garden.

In an effort to beautify its urban environment, the City of Nice has commissioned the works of two artists to be installed in public areas. One of those are the ‘Burnt Trees’ of Philippe Pastor, which will be unveiled in late September and will be on loan to the city for a period of one year.

Upset by the fires in the Massif des Maures, Philippe Pastor created the series of sculptures in 2003 using charred tree trunks from the region. They have since become a symbol of the fight against deforestation and are exhibited all over the world.

The artist is passionate about working closely with nature and keeps the temporality of the living at the heart of his work, the action of natural elements being an intrinsic part of his work process.

This sculpture consists of 15 charred tree trunks adorned with enamelled plates. Each trunk has a diameter of 30cm, a height of 7 to 8m (including 1m buried) and a weight of about 150kg per piece.

Philippe Pastor’s message resonates even more so today with the tragedy of the fires raging in the Amazon.

A new exhibition dedicated to Burnt Trees will also be presented in October at the Monaco Modern’Art Gallery and will include an immersive interior installation of sculptures, in dialogue with his latest paintings.

Nice will also unveil Claude Gilli’s ‘Tree Forest’ in the forecourt of the Pasteur Hospital.

Read more: Prince Albert Foundation says efforts to protect forests should be redoubled amid Amazon fires